Cherry's Adventures of Cats Don't Dance
by PerkyGoth14
Summary: Cherry and Atticus travel to Hollywood and meet a cat named Danny who aspires to be a movie star for animals everywhere along with new friends like Sawyer, T.W. the turtle, Tillie the hippo, Cranston the goat, Pudge the penguin, and Frances the fish.
1. Chapter 1

Cherry was having a normal morning. She was bored in her kitchen and poured a bowl of cereal as she watched people on TV and had her dreams of life in the big city. Nothing could make this day interesting. Then a call came it was her friend Atticus.

Cherry answered her phone, lying it over her shoulder. "Yeah."

"Hey, Cherry, it's Atticus." Atticus said over the phone.

"Okay, what's up?" Cherry asked as she went to put her bowl in the sink, quickly ran water in it, and she walked down her home hallway to flop on her bed.

"How would you like to come to Hollywood with me?" Atticus asked over the phone.

"How'd you manage that?" Cherry had to ask.

"I have my sources, so what do say, you wanna come?" Atticus asked over the phone.

"I dunno... Hang on a second." Cherry said as there was a knock at her door.

Atticus could hear another voice on the line, but Cherry's voice sounded in denial.

"What's going on over there?" Atticus asked himself.

"Oh, nothing... Just making a deal..." Cherry said on her phone.

The other person had taken the phone from her and spoke into it based on how he was told how it worked. "Cerise can't talk now, may I take a message?"

"Actually, I can tell you this, leave her alone! And tell her to give me her answer after you leave." Atticus said over the phone.

"I'm sorry, but the little lady has feigned illness of being home alone to skip her lessons for the day," the man told Atticus. "You can meet her up afterward."

"Maestro..." Cherry nearly growled at her new mentor for making this happen.

"Wait, Maestro, as in, from Beauty and the Beast?" Atticus asked over the phone.

"I don't know what you could be going on about, but the little lady needs her lessons, she'll meet you in an hour at the church across the street from her home." Forte told the boy.

"Alright, Forte, I'll see her at the church." Atticus said over the phone.

"Thank you, goodbye now... How do I turn this cursed thing off?" Forte asked.

Cherry had taken the phone and snapped it shut since it was a flip phone and she glared at the man.

"I guess I'll have my answer from Cherry at the church." Atticus said as he hung up his phone.

* * *

><p>A little while passed and it was close to the end of Cherry's lessons.<p>

"Very good, my dear." Forte said.

"Can I go now...?" Cherry sounded very bored with him. "Atticus is waiting for me..."

"Very well, you may go, besides your lesson is over today." Forte said.

"Thank you!" Cherry quickly left him and came out the door.

Atticus was at the church and where he was waiting for Cherry.

Cherry came over and came to see Atticus on the steps. "Over here."

"So, how was your lesson with Forte?" Atticus asked.

Cherry groaned a little, shaking her head. "The usual... My fingers dancing across the keyboard and being told how to speak in French... He is _so _annoying... I think I liked it better when he hated me when I was a kid, I didn't even _want _organ and French lessons!"

"So, what's your answer about coming with me to Hollywood?" Atticus asked.

"Anything to get some excitement and away from Maestro Snooty over there..." Cherry deadpanned. "He already discussed it with my parents when I played a sonata on my own, so my things are all packed up in my room and ready to go."

"Great." Atticus said.

"I still think I liked Maestro Forte better when he scared the crap out of me when I first met him." Cherry was zipping up her backpack once they were in her bedroom.

Atticus showed he had everything he needed packed.

"Okay, good," Cherry agreed, she then looked over to see a framed portrait of one of her favorite men and tried to hide it from Atticus. "Let's go then. Maybe we'll accidentally bump into someone and get into an acting role."

"Yeah." Atticus said.

* * *

><p>The two took their ways and decided to take a trolley. Before they knew it, they were in Hollywood where people's dreams come true. The trolley stopped as a white cat was coming on board and she wore beige clothing.<p>

"'Scuse me, pardon me, excuse me..." the white cat walked on, looking for a place to sit as she had a cup of coffee in her hand, she looked very rushed.

"That's my source." Atticus whispered to Cherry.

"Your source?" Cherry looked over.

The white cat kept coming and finally found a seat and sat with the two kids. "Pardon me, I'm so sorry..."

"That's alright, by the way, would your name be Sawyer?" Atticus asked.

"That's me," the cat, Sawyer, replied. "Which one of you phoned in to come into Hollywood?"

"I guess _he _did?" Cherry shrugged, gesturing to Atticus.

"Yep, that would be me." Atticus said.

"Well, welcome, I'm afraid I can't help you out much, but I'll give you a place to stay and unfortunately, I have to work." Sawyer told them.

"Where do you work?" Cherry asked.

"Farley Wink's Animal Acting Agency," Sawyer explained. "I find parts for animals in this town in movies... This town's a little tough on us furry species."

"As in _the_ Farley Wink's?" Atticus asked.

"Yeah..." Sawyer didn't sound too proud of her job as she took a sip of her drink.

Suddenly, there was a big bump and Sawyer accidentally spilled coffee on herself.

"Oh, just what I need!" Sawyer snarled and sighed. "Anyway, he's looking for two of every animal for parts in the next Darla Dimple movie."

"Oh, my grandma loves her movies, they remind her of when _she _was a little girl." Cherry sounded proud.

"Yeah, the same with my mom." Atticus said.

"He still needs two chickens, two lions, and two cats." Sawyer explained.

"Why don't you audition?" Cherry asked.

Sawyer then laughed out loud. "Are you kidding me? I'd rather work overtime!"

"Okay, too bad they don't have any openings for two human kids." Atticus said.

"Maybe you could help the director?" Sawyer shrugged, then looked over. "Oh, nip! My stop!" she pulled down the string to stop the trolley. "Come with me." she told the kids.

Cherry and Atticus followed her out and tried to avoid the incoming cars.

* * *

><p>There was another cat, but male and orange who was dancing around and nearly made them back up against a fountain as he rushed off.<p>

"Where's he off to?" Atticus asked.

"I don't know and frankly I don't care, that cat's given me nothing but trouble!" Sawyer got out of the fountain as her hat with the feather dripped over her.

Cherry got herself out and wrung out her hair. "I thought black cats were the unlucky ones."

"Watch it, sister, you could get in trouble for saying things like that." Sawyer reminded her.

"Yeah." Atticus said as he helped them out of the fountain.

"Ex_cuse_ me." Cherry rolled her eyes.

"Come on, we better go before I'm late." Sawyer led them into the animal agency.

"Alright" Atticus said as the followed her.


	2. Chapter 2

Inside the room, there was a hippo, a fish that was smoking, a grumpy looking goat, and a cowardly looking turtle.

"Sawyer, what happened to you?" the hippo giggled.

"D-Did you walk under a ladder?" the turtle hid in his shell. "S-Smash a mirror?"

"Have you looked in one lately?" the goat scoffed.

"Some guy happened." Atticus explained.

"Really?" the hippo asked. "Orange tabby?"

"Yeah." Sawyer said as he hung up her coat and hat.

"Green vest?" the hippo then asked. "Straw hat?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, what a counicky dink!"

"How'd you know?"

"Oh, hippo intuition," the hippo giggled, then took a hold of Cherry and Atticus and spun them all around to meet everyone. "My name's Tillie, that's Cranston, Frances, TW..." she spun them all around which made them dizzy and smiled friendly to them. "So, new in town?"

Cherry moaned with her eyes all around. "Just on a little vacation..."

"Yeah." Atticus said.

"What are your names?" Tillie asked.

Cherry and Atticus gave their names.

"Lovely names, I hope you enjoy your stay here!" Tillie giggled.

Sawyer then went on the phone to take some calls as there was a lamb sitting by waiting for his big chance to be in the movies.

"Maybe that call could be that lamb's time to shine." Atticus said.

"You need a lamb for the Moses picture?" Sawyer asked which made the lamb get excited, but quickly sick to his stomach. "Oh, a _sacrificial _lamb? Sorry, fresh out!" she hung up, stacking her papers. "Everyday I ask myself, why do I put up with this?"

"For the glamour." Frances smirked.

"What, this pig sty?" Sawyer deadpanned as she went to work. "No offense, Herb... Unless of course you're referring to the glamour of filing, the romance of typing! ...Tillie, what're you doing?" she looked down to the hippo.

"Just freshening you up, you'll wanna look pretty in case you meet someone nice~" Tillie mused.

"He's here, isn't he?" Atticus asked while his eyes were half closed.

"Yeah, right, as if he's gonna come waltzing right through that-" Sawyer walked off, but the door opened on her as the portly man known as Farley Wink came out with the orange cat from earlier.

"You're gonna be big, kid, you're the cat's meow!" Farley praised, then leaned in. "You _can _meow, can't ya?"

"Of course," the cat told him as the human man went to get Sawyer and he had seen the kids. "Oh, hello."

"Hey." Atticus said.

"My name's Danny," the cat told them. "I'm gonna be in the next Darla Dimple picture now, this is my dream come true!"

"Sounds like you're excited." Cherry said to him.

"I really am, I made this plan out for this week so if I play my cards right, I'll be able to land my first big part in the pictures, I got an agent and came here, then I'm gonna land a big part and go to my movie premiere!" Danny grinned.

"Cool." Atticus said.

Farley was talking Sawyer to join the movie and got Danny to be there with her and they had to go to Mammoth Pictures.

"Let's go with them." Cherry said to Atticus.

"Yeah." Atticus said.

* * *

><p>Danny, Sawyer, Cherry, and Atticus were walking out of the agency and walking around the place known as Mammoth Pictures. There were chickens discussing their roles, a bull walked by with a hat on his head, mumbling to himself, and there was a tiny black dog with ruby slippers on, clicking them together and told to get into a basket.<p>

"So, looks like we're gonna be the only two cats on the ark, huh?" Danny smiled at Sawyer. "Pretty great, huh?"

Sawyer sighed. "So much for preserving species..."

"Maybe it'll get better." Atticus said.

There were giant foot steps coming beside the group to reveal an ape holding an airplane and a tower in his arms.

"Hey, Kong, how's the picture coming?" Sawyer called to him.

"Oooh!" the ape looked down at them. "Don't get me started!" he then stormed off.

* * *

><p>The group then kept walking after Danny got starstruck briefly and they passed a giant board of the famed child actress who was labeled as America's Sweetheart, Lover of Children and Animals for the upcoming filming of her next feature motion picture: L'il Ark Angel.<p>

"Cool." Atticus said.

Sawyer led them to the set.

"So pink and fluffy..." Cherry sounded like she was about to suffocate.

"Come on, let's continue on." Atticus said.

There was a penguin in a blue sailor suit trying to get attention, but was taken out of the way as he carried a bunch of desserts and accidentally bumped into Danny, Cherry, and Atticus. "Uh-oh, I'm busted." he mumbled.

"Hey!" Danny greeted.

"Hey, you're the cat from this morning, aren'tcha?" the penguin greeted. "And your friends with humans?"

"You could say that." Atticus said.

"What're you doing here?" Danny asked, helping him up.

"Oh, that ice thing is just my side job, the name's Peabo Pudgemeyer," the penguin shook his flipper with Danny's paw. "But you can call me Pudge."

Suddenly a bell rang.

"Oh, I'll talk to you later, it's time to start, Danny, don't forget your costume." Pudge got his hat on and left with a donut.

"He's right." Atticus said.

"Guess I'll go then." Danny left to get changed with the other animals.

"What should we do?" Cherry looked around.

There was light humming heard in a heart-shaped chair that was turned from them. Atticus just shrugged. Cherry took a look over the chair. The humming came from a little girl who looked around the age of seven with her curly blonde hair in a pink hair bow, pink frilly dress, and a ballerina tutu with a pair of feathered wings with a golden halo. She was eating a bunch of sweet snacks.

"That must be her." Atticus whispered.

"Should we say hi?" Cherry whispered back.

"She looks busy." Atticus whispered

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Cherry walked away with Atticus. "She looks a bit chubbier in person... Must be baby fat or the camera."

"What are you two doing here?" the director walked toward the kids. "No one's allowed on set unless they're two animals, the people working with the movie, or Miss Dimple's personal assistants."

Atticus tried to think of something to let them stay there.

"Umm..." Cherry wasn't sure what to say.

"I see," the director started to push them out. "Well, kiddies, see you some other time, be sure to check out other things and come to this movie once it premieres in the Chinese theater!"

'Come on, Atticus, think of something.' Attics thought.

"We're her assistants." Cherry said quickly.

"Really?" the director stopped them.

"Y-Yeah, she hired us." Atticus said.

"Interesting... Well, she should be ready to begin by now." the director walked off to see the girl. "Sweetie, are you ready?"

"Yeah, yeah, let's go." Darla nearly scoffed as she tugged on the rope tied around her waist to go above the floor and come down in the movie like a true angel coming down from Heaven.

'_This is going to end well._' Atticus thought.

"Quiet on the set!" the director called sharply. "QUIET! Miss Dimple is ready to began! Lights, camera, action! Cue the elephant!"

An elephant wearing a suit muttered as he stuck his head in through a board for his head and people put tusks, a short fuzzy wig to put on his head, and started to film as the elephant trumpeted and the glossy pink curtain had the movie logo on and the chorus started as they parted.

"Great start." Atticus whispered.

Darla was being lowered by a stagehand as she carried her parasol and sang the movie's song and she sang about how the people were so bad and the Lord made the rain come down, drowning the cities and towns, and all of the people drowned, but she decided to help the animals by building an ark.

"Cool." Atticus whispered.

"Shh." Cherry shushed him as Darla sang her little song.

"Sorry." Atticus whispered.

Darla got to the cute part of the song and was talking about what each animal said with each animal replying by their animal noise and not speaking like they all could.

'_So far so good._' Atticus thought.

Darla got to the dogs and cats about to go to the lions, though Danny sang his line than just say it. Danny then came back and continued to sing his line and bring it to life.

Darla tried to keep calm, but she couldn't take it anymore. "CUT! Cut, cut, cut!"

"Cut?" the director sounded in dismay. "Oh, yes, cut, cut!"

Saywer pulled Danny out of the way.

'I stand corrected.' Atticus thought.

"Let me down THIS INSTANT!" Darla yelled.

"Lower Miss Dimple, hurry, hurry, lower Miss Dimple!" the director cried out.

Darla growled, then screamed as she slammed in the middle of the floor with her legs sticking out. Cranston was laughing while TW looked very nervous.

"Ooh, a little sour under that sweetness." Cherry observed with a smirk.

"You're telling me." Atticus whispered.

Darla settled herself and started to torment the director. "And who here's an angel?" she grinned, smashing his glasses, then continued to torture him. "CAN YOU TELL ME WHO HERE IS AN ANGEL!?"

"Why you are, Darla, sweetheart, celebrity, darling!" the director soothed, then got choked a moment. "Angel..."

"That's right, I _am _an angel!" the spoiled brat threw him down. "I...Am... An Adorable... Little... ANGEL!"

Many of the assistants rushed to Darla to calm her down by giving her a picture of a baby to sign, a hot fudge sundae, a choo-choo train, her doll, and even a rubber ducky.

'_Sour, more like evil._' Atticus thought.

"I... Hate...ANIMALS!" Darla yelled out, sending them all off and pointed sharply toward Danny. "Especially THAT ONE!"

Danny backed up nervously, accidentally making the rope send Darla into the air and fly all around the studio.

"Get me down from here!" Darla yelled. "FLANAGIIIIN!"

"Should we help?" Cherry asked sarcastically.

"Might as well." Atticus said sarcastically.

Cherry and Atticus then just sat down and watched the show.

Darla screamed as she knocked down the adults like bowling pins and she was the ball. She finally had enough. Time to unleash her secret weapon. "**MAAAAAAAAAAAAX!**"

Suddenly, everyone got terrified quickly.

"What's gotten them all spooked?" Atticus asked.

Suddenly the wall broke apart and there was a very tall and bulky man coming, dressed sharply.

"Whoa..." Cherry blinked up at him.

TW hid in a crocodile's mouth and Tillie hid behind a bird, expanding his wings.

"That guy looks like he's the size of a giant." Atticus whispered to Cherry.

"Looks like King Kong with his fur shaved off and got into toxic waste." Cherry whispered back.

The giant man put his hand up as Darla swayed around and she crashed into his giant hand. "Yes, Miss Dimpool?"

Darla breathed heavily in severe anger and pointed to Danny, glaring down at the orange tabby. Max leaned in and cracked his giant knuckles, making the other animals spread apart. Atticus gulps.

Max had grabbed Danny and made him agree with how the movie is supposed to go and even made him slam in the middle of the floor right next to Sawyer. "Will that be all, Miss Dimpool?"

"For the moment, thank you, Max," Darla smiled, patting his head and allowing him to go back home and wait for her. She then came down between Cherry and Atticus. "Hair and make-up, _now_!"

"Yes, Miss Dimple," Atticus said and then whispered to Cherry. "Let's just do it, so, then, we don't get kicked out."

Cherry nodded, then decided to do Darla's hair to make the curls bouncy.

"I haven't seen you two around here before..." Darla said as they attended to her. "Are you interns?"

"Actually, we're your new assistants." Atticus said.

"Just came in today." Cherry added.

"Hmm... Well, get to work then," Darla shrugged it off, folding her arms and letting them work, but she had the smile everyone in Hollywood knew and loved. "This'll be my best movie yet! Next to Darladdin, then of course my western flick, Darla Got Yer Gun, my first movie where I'm an orphan on the streets rising to fame, and then Yankee Doodle Darla!"

"That's great to hear, Miss Dimple." Atticus said, while he did her make-up.

"Uh, your parents must be so proud..." Cherry said then.

"Um, right..." Darla seemed to have sort of emotional fit towards that word. Parents.

"Wait, do you have a mom and dad?" Atticus asked while still doing her make-up.

"That's not important right now, just work!" Darla nearly snapped.

Cherry filed the girl's nails. "Sorry, just asking..."

"Well, no one asked you!" Darla huffed.

Atticus was almost done with Darla's make-up.

"Okay, you're about done." Cherry said.

"Hurry it up, will you?" Darla sounded agitated. "I don't have all day!"

"Okay, I'm done with your make-up." Atticus said as he was completely finished with her make-up, which was perfect.

Darla smiled and allowed herself to be back up into the ceiling to come down from the clouds.

"Okay, people from the top!" the director announced and glared at Danny. "And I hope there will be no more interruptions!"

Danny shook while Sawyer put his hat back on his head.

"Well, Danny wasn't expecting that." Atticus whispered.

"I don't think anyone was..." Cherry said quietly as the movie took a second take, this time, it managed to get done all the way properly.

"You're telling me." Atticus whispered.

Darla yawned a little as she was lowered again and she was ready to go home and get some beauty rest. "What a day..."

Cherry and Atticus were about to leave the set.

"Where do you think you're going?" Darla called to them. "You're supposed to be taking me home, Christie and Armando!"

"Actually, our names are Cherry and Atticus, Miss Dimple." Atticus said.

"Whatever," Darla got her coat on. "Just take me home. Max is probably too busy cleaning to drive me right now."

"Great..." Cherry grumbled, taking the girl's hand.

Danny was being made fun of by the other animals as it was getting quite dark.

* * *

><p>Atticus and Cherry then took Darla home.<p>

Darla walked into her fluffy pink home. "Max, I'm back!" She walked in, it only seemed to be her and her butler there, no friends, no family, no nothing.

"She must be lonely, the only one here except for her is Max." Atticus whispered.

"Maybe that's why she's a little bratty..." Cherry added.

"Shh, don't say that out loud or else she might hear you." Atticus whispered.

"I guess we better get out of here..." Cherry walked out since Darla hadn't called for them.

There was a picture on a stand by the door that seemed to have a married couple on it. The woman had curly ginger hair with brown eyes and she wore a slender black dress with white pearled earrings and a necklace and ruby red lips and the man next to her had a white suit with wavy blonde hair and blue eyes. With them was also a girl with black hair in a ponytail in a yellow dress.

"That must be her with her parents." Atticus whispered.

"How can that be? That girl has black hair." Cherry pointed.

"Hey, what're you doing?" Darla looked to them as she was in a fuzzy pink robe now, then gasped. "Don't look at that! DON'T EVER LOOK AT THAT!" she swiped the picture and hid it from them.

"Sorry, Miss Dimple, we won't, we promise, right, Cherry?" Atticus asked.

"Right." Cherry nodded.

"Just get out of here..." Darla growled, going upstairs.

And so, Atticus and Cherry left.


	3. Chapter 3

Danny and Pudge were dancing together with some random piano music that seemed to come from nowhere.

"Where's that music coming from?" Atticus asked.

The group turned over and went to behind a wall. There was a little hut not too far away and it seemed to be the source of the music.

"Come on, we better check it out." Cherry told the guys.

"Yeah." Atticus said.

* * *

><p>The group came closer and saw that an elephant had been playing the piano. They wondered about him a little and looked behind them to see the Mammoth Pictures logo and put it together.<p>

"It's him!" they all said together. "Woolie the Mammoth!"

The elephant laughed, having so much fun with his music and even spun in his song. This made the group in the tree back up a little, then it flung them in right through the window and crashing into his place.

"Oh, my." Atticus said.

Woolie congratulated Pudge to his addition to the music despite accidentally crashing onto the keyboard and he looked down to see Danny, Cherry, and Atticus. "If my old eyes aren't failing me, I'd say _you're _the fellow who caused all that commotion today!" Woolie was talking to Danny as he hid behind a couple of cushions.

"Y-Yeah, I suppose I really upset Miss Dimple..." Danny tried to hide himself.

"Yes, that jolly good show!" Woolie then laughed to show he was friendly.

"You're not mad at him?" Atticus asked.

"Of course not, that's the best performance I've seen in years!" Woolie chuckled.

There was a high whistle heard.

"Oh, tea time, excuse me a bit." Woolie stood up and walked across the place, making the others lean one way by force and the piano hit them all in the face.

"Ouch." Atticus muffled.

"Did you know the peanut is not a nut at all, nor a pea for that matter..." Woolie said as he got a pot holder on his trunk to get the tea, unaware of the injuries inflicted on his new friends.

Every time Woolie took a step, everyone would go another way.

"Sugar?" Woolie asked.

"Yeah!" Pudge beamed, but then Danny covered his beak as they went sliding again.

"No, thank you." Atticus said.

Woolie got the sugar for Pudge, sending them flying again. They even crashed against the keyboard and were in a daze.

"Mommy, is the ride over?" Atticus asked while being in a daze.

Woolie then handed everyone their peanut tea and was about to sit down. "Oh, I forgot the cream, would you all like some cream?"

Everyone quickly told him no and didn't want to go through that whole mess again.

"Alright, suit yourselves." Woolie sat down which made the tea jump out of their cups and splash back down, though Cherry and Pudge didn't get it back into their cups.

"You're amazing on the piano." Atticus said.

"Yeah, that was quite the song," Danny agreed. "Did you write it for some movie?"

"Oh, no," Woolie chuckled a little. "No movie..."

"Did you write it for yourself?" Atticus asked.

"Indeed, I was also self-taught, do you any of you play?" Woolie asked.

"Unfortunately." Cherry mumbled.

"Kind of, and I also sing and dance." Atticus said.

"Yeah, that's why I'm here." Danny added, smiling. "You shouldn't waste your talent, Woolie."

"Well, it's the same for everyone," Woolie pointed behind them with his trunk. "See for yourself... So many broken dreams..."

"Wow." Atticus said.

There was TW shown being like a pirate, Cranston and Frances were doing the tango, and there was a last picture of a familiar white cat having a good time with her fur curled up.

"Is that Sawyer?" Danny asked.

"Poor Sawyer," Woolie sighed. "I thought she'd be the one to make it. The heart of gold and the voice of an angel."

"Who would've guessed?" Cherry asked rhetorically.

"Yeah." Atticus said.

"But, I thought Hollywood was always looking for some kind of talent." Danny looked back at the elephant.

"Talented _people_, not animals..." Woolie said softly. "You see, the spotlight will never be on folks like you and me."

Danny, Pudge, and Woolie all had saddened expressions. This also saddened Atticus and Cherry.

Danny then thought of something. "Unless... We remind 'em..." he said as he played a few keys.

"Of what?" Cherry asked.

"Why they came here in the first place." Danny explained and they came up with an idea for all the acting-less animals in this town.

"They're holding roles for the jungle stampede in a Tarzan movie, we can round 'em all up that way." Cherry suggested.

"Yeah." Atticus agreed.

"About what time?" Danny asked.

"Sometime in the afternoon, maybe after lunch?" Cherry shrugged.

"Yeah." Atticus said.

Everyone decided to do just that and meet in the afternoon tomorrow and bring back their hidden talents from the human public.

"So, where are we going to stay?" Atticus asked.

"I'm staying in a hotel if you guys care to join me." Danny offered.

"I gotta get myself home anyway." Pudge agreed.

"It _is _rather late." Woolie looked at the time as he sipped the last of his peanut tea from his great-grandmother's recipe.

* * *

><p>Atticus and Cherry then joined Danny. Cherry slept on the extra bed, Danny slept in his bed, and Atticus slept on the couch. They would meet Pudge later after breakfast and then go to the alley as they would hold auditions to be in the Tarzan movie to be part of it. The least they could do is animal roles and not be a star, unless they were like Lassie the wonder dog.<p>

"Tomorrow is going to be a new day." Atticus said.

"Sure is, guys, get some sleep." Danny got himself ready and climbed into his bed.

"See you all in the morning..." Cherry yawned as she covered herself to get to bed.

And so, they all were asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

The next afternoon after breakfast at Pinky's diner, they all met up like they said they would.

Danny looked over to see the animals lined up after the director for the Tarzan movie had requested only a water buffalo and everyone else was to leave. "Now's our chance, guys." He led them over. "Hey, everybody!"

Pudge whistled, getting everyone's attention.

"Look who's back," Cranston scowled. "I wish he'd consider himself stuffed."

"I know a divine taxidermist, darling," Frances smirked. "Did my first husband."

"I hope this works." Atticus whispered.

"Hey everybody, gather 'round, don't let this old town get ya down," Danny made a droopy dog smile, then went to a couple of horses. "Look at you there with the long, long face."

"Hey!" one of the horses looked to the other. "He must be talkin' to you!"

"You take this and you take that, come over here, TW, and put on this hat," Danny continued as the animals seemed to cheer up a bit. "If we all work together, we can make our dreams come true. Let's show the world what we can do."

"Hit it, Pudge!" Cherry called.

Pudge nodded, then was playing with a drum set made from junk. Danny started to sing about his rhythm to everyone and then joined in the dancing and had some fun. Even Frances and Cranston got in the spirit. Sawyer seemed to overhear the commotion and had herself come down to see everything.

"Guys, what's going on here?" Sawyer asked Cherry and Atticus.

"We're showing everyone what we're made of." Atticus said.

"Sawyer, why don't you sing?" Danny asked.

"We heard you're a natural." Cherry added.

"Who told you that?" Sawyer scoffed.

Woolie answered with a trumpet as he played his piano for everyone.

"Well?" Atticus asked.

"This is a waste of time, Danny'll never dance in the movies!" Sawyer insisted.

"Did I say movies?" Danny tilted his head. "No, we're just having fun, come on!"

Sawyer rejected, about to walk away, but Tillie bumped her against Danny and the other animals, Cherry, and Atticus encouraged her to try it. Sawyer then gave in. Danny and Sawyer made their own dance together and even had a good time. They dipped together and Sawyer looked into Danny's eyes and she looked back, but quickly walked away.

"Like I said, dancing's a waste of time..." Sawyer walked away.

"Darn... I lost her... What am I gonna do?" Danny was lost as he stood next to a poster of the famed movie magic maker, L.B. Mammoth.

"Well, you didn't think it was a waste of time once before." Atticus said.

"That was a long time ago, guys... It's time to move on..." Sawyer kept walking.

Danny had an idea. "Why don't I get you an audition for L.B. Mammoth?"

"L.B. Mammoth?" Sawyer looked back with a laugh. "Head of Mammoth Studios?"

"Yeah, all we have to do is ask Darla Dimple." Atticus said.

"Besides, after nothing but her, he'll be starving for it!" Cranston laughed.

"You guys are dreaming~" Sawyer continued to walk to get back to work.

"Maybe we are, but so were you a few minutes ago." Danny retorted.

Sawyer paused for a moment, but then she kept walking.

"D-Do you really think guys can get us an audition with the boss?" Pudge came to the three new friends he made.

"It's worth a try," Cherry said as they were passing a Darladdian and the 40 Thieves poster. "We'll need a way to get to him though."

"Yeah, anyways, let's get going before she notices us not there." Atticus said.

The group had walked away.

* * *

><p>When Danny, Cherry, and Atticus got back to the hotel, they were surprised that at the front desk, they had mail.<p>

"Invitation for you, Mr. Cat, Mr. Fudo, and Miss Butler." the concierge handed the frilly pink envelope sealed with a pink heart to them.

"Who could it be from?" Danny asked as he took the envelope.

"Who knows?" Atticus said.

"I'm pretty sure I have an idea." Cherry mumbled sarcastically.

Danny opened the envelope to see it was an invitation to tea at the Dimple mansion. "It's from Darla, she wants us to come over for tea."

"That's oddly nice of her." Atticus said.

"Yeah... Very oddly nice..." Cherry got suspicious of the child star.

"Well, we better get going." Danny said as he went with them to the Dimple mansion.

* * *

><p>Danny rang the doorbell when they climbed up the fluffy pink hill, it seemed to be all pink and hearts with this kid.<p>

Max came to the door and looked down at them. "Yes?"

"Um, we're here to see Miss Dimple." Atticus said.

Max opened the door and gestured for them to come inside. After the last guest came in, Max shut the door and went to the foyer where Darla was and he came to help her into her seat.

"Thanks for coming over, Candace, Artemis, and Donald..." Darla said as she came in.

"Actually, it's Cherry, Atticus, and Danny, Miss Dimple." Atticus corrected.

"Oh," Darla giggled. "Sorry..." she kept her cheerful childish grin and gestured to a bowl. "Animal cracker?"

Cherry shook her head and Danny seemed hesitant.

"No? More for me!" Darla beamed as she bit the head off a cat one and threw it to Danny. "I wanted to apologize for what Max did the other day... He's so bad sometimes..." she patted her large butler's hand.

"Ow..." Max said which caused Darla's curls to fly back briefly.

'I've never seen her so nice, other then when she would be acting.' Atticus thought.

Danny and Darla discussed what happened during the first filming for Li'l Ark Angel, then Darla had said she wanted to make it all up to them.

"Oh, you don't have to..." Danny said, then got nervous as Max shoved them all in chairs, giving them forks, and slices of strawberry cake as he wore a frilly pink apron.

"Oh, but I insist!" Darla chirped. "Is there anything you need? Isn't there something I could do for you?" she was reaching for another cracker.

"I don't think so." Cherry replied.

Darla then crawled to face them with her dimpled and babyish face. "Isn't there a certain someone, with a certain studio, that I could introduce you all to?"

"Well, now that you've mentioned it, we were wondering if ,*gulp*, I mean, if you wouldn't mind, calling L.B. Mammoth and see the animals perform." Atticus suggested.

"Why, Asgard, I'd be delighted!" Darla snatched a cracker, still smiling. "Idea! Maybe your animal friends could all do a number in my movie!"

"You think so, um, Miss Dimple?" Cherry asked the young actress.

"It's just what the picture needs," Darla explained. "I'll give you full use of my sound stage, ark, and anything else you may need!"

"Thank you, Miss Di-" Danny thanked her.

"Ah, ah, ah, call me Darla!"

"Thank you, Darla!"

"Don't mention it." Darla grinned, biting off another cracker head and tossed it aside, giggling like the child she was.

"This is amazing news." Atticus said.

"Sawyer could do a romantic ballad and maybe even Woolie could do a piano solo!" Danny cheered as he started to eat the headless animal crackers.

Darla stared wide-eyed with a small smile. "Did you hear that, Max? Woolie... The _elephant_... Could even play his solo!"

Max groaned and rolled his eyes. This caused for all three of them to gulp.

"D-Don't you think that would be a good idea?" Danny asked nervously.

"Well, I think..." Darla curled her finger in her curl, stringing it, but it bounced back to normal. "Do you three _really _want my advice?"

Danny, Cherry, and Atticus agreed.

"Well..." Darla decided to explain in song as the table turned into a piano and Max started to play it by candlelight and a spotlight shined on the girl.

And where it was amazing to them as at the end of the song, all three of them were jaw dropped by how it was.

"Leaves ya kinda speechless," Darla smirked as she closed their mouths, lying on the tea table. "Don't it?"

Atticus nodded his head.

* * *

><p>Danny, Cherry, and Atticus followed Darla as she was seeing them out and she arranged the plans of them to see L.B. Mammoth Friday at 3:00 sharp and not to tell anyone she was involved in it. She didn't like to advertise her charitable work.<p>

"Thanks, Miss Dimple!" Danny beamed. "Thanks a lot!"

"You're welcome, Dino, Andrew, and Clarice!" Darla waved them off.

"Goodbye!"

"Ta-ta, see ya in the movies!" Darla fluttered her eyes at them before gently shutting the door.

"I still don't trust her..." Cherry looked back to the door.

"Me neither." Atticus said.

"You guys coming?" Danny called and asked on his way down.

"You go on ahead... I think I need to check something..." Cherry said as they still stood by Darla Dimple's mansion.

"Same with me." Atticus said.

"Okay, suit yourselves..." Danny shrugged and continued to walk off.

Cherry looked into the window.

"Is L.B.'s press conference still Friday at 3:00?" Darla asked as she got on the phone with the publicity department. "Oh, thank you sooo much!" she then hung up and she developed an evil laugh.

'_I knew it, she really is evil._' Atticus thought.

"What are we gonna do?" Cherry asked as Darla went to her bedroom as the sun was slowly setting.

"Well, first, let's see what her plan is." Atticus said.

Cherry and Atticus moved to a window to the spoiled brat's bedroom window. Darla climbed up onto her vanity table as she was slid into her robe, her hair bow was disposed of and replaced with electric hair curlers as she took out a tube of lipstick and made a crude drawing of kitty cats in love and wanted to drown them all. And what better way to do it then to have them all in the ark and wait for L.B. Mammoth and have him see the mess and blame the animals for it?

"Okay, now, that, is pure evil." Atticus said.

"Shut up, Max!" Darla hissed as she grinned wickedly for her plans. She then looked into her mirror and deeply scowled as she saw two figures in the background.

Cherry and Atticus ducked down.

"Max, fetch those abominations!" Darla commanded.

"Yes, Miss Dimpool..." Max droned and had captured the two, bringing them inside.

"What do you two want now?" Darla wasn't even bothering with her cute and adorable act.

"We know about your evil plan." Atticus said.

"Oh, you do, do you?" Darla smiled darkly. "And I guess you're going to tell everyone?"

"Of course we are!" Cherry growled.

"I think I have a better idea, Max, throw them in the dungeon!" Darla folded her arms.

Max was going to throw the kids into the basement of the house, slowly walking to the door.

"Goodbye, you two, let's hope you all don't drown with the flash flood on Friday." Darla cackled.

"Why are you doing this?" Atticus asked Darla. "What has anyone ever done to you to let you become so evil?"

"That doesn't matter, leave my sight!" Darla snarled.

"Darla, just let us help you!" Cherry called out.

"No, I don't trust anyone but Max, not leave me unless you are willing to become my loyal servants!"

"It isn't fun just having Max around." Atticus said before he left.

Darla put her hand up. "Dungeon, Max!"

Max agreed and threw the two kids down in the basement and slammed the door, locking it from the other side and went back to help Darla with anything she may need or want.

* * *

><p>Cherry rubbed her neck from the rough landing. "What are we going to do?"<p>

"I don't know, maybe dig." Atticus suggested.

"Dig in a basement?" Cherry looked at her nails that nearly had been chewed off. "I doubt there's a shovel in here..." She found a treasure chest and opened it, looking through some old things such as baby clothes and fancy gowns for women and there was a wooden pipe too. Cherry then took out a very old and ratty teddy bear, but couldn't find any shovels.

"I have two shovels." Atticus said as he showed two shovles.

"Where'd you get those?" Cherry asked as she shut the box filled with things that seemed to belong to a big family and not a little girl who lived alone.

"I brought them, somehow I knew we would need these. Anyways, what did you find in that chest?" Atticus asked.

"It was just standing there collecting dust," Cherry shrugged. "Looks like it'd been lost for years..." she opened it up again and showed him the stuff inside of it, including a baby with a curly tuft of hair who looked very happy and carefree like many infants.

"A curly haired baby? Do you think that could be Darla as a baby?" Atticus asked.

"I guess," Cherry shrugged. "Wonder where her family is?"

"We'll figure that out later." Atticus said.

"How're we gonna shovel out of a house?" Cherry asked. "I never shoveled before..."

* * *

><p>They continued to dig until finally they were out of the house. Cherry and Atticus popped their heads out as they were on a set for a wild west movie which seemed to have stopped.<p>

"We are out of here!" Cherry climbed out with him. "Uhh... Now where do we go?"

"Which way to the set of Darla Dimple's newest movie?" Atticus asked the camera man.

"That way, kiddo." the camera man pointed down south where there were two other movies, but there was Stage #13 for Li'l Ark Angel starring the one and only Darla Dimple.

"Thank, you, sir," Atticus said, before turning to Cherry. "Come on, Cherry, there's no to lose."

Cherry got herself out and followed Atticus. "Come on, we have to warn everyone!"

* * *

><p>Stage 13 was completely empty, no one was there. No directors, no camera crew, no producers, no animals, no nothing.<p>

"Where is everyone?" Atticus asked.

"Maybe they're done for the day?" Cherry shrugged again.

"Yeah, maybe." Atticus said.

"But how're we gonna tell everyone!?" Cherry cried out.

"Okay, let's just calm down, we'll tell them as soon as possible." Atticus said.

"We apparently don't have a lot of time..." Cherry said back.

"I know." Atticus said.

They both made their way to the hotel, they would warn all the animals tomorrow.


	5. Chapter 5

But the animals were too excited to even pay attention to them.

Could this get any worse?" Atticus groaned, then asked.

"Hey, Atticus, Cherry, our little angel sent me a new copy of script and looks like she's included you two with all of us." Danny said as he as he gave them both a copy of the script and winked when he said little angel.

"Oh, boy..." Cherry murmured.

"We're dead." Atticus said, then looked at Tillie. "Hey, Tillie, do you know anything about what happened to Darla's parents?"

"Huh?" Tillie asked as she got some powder together. "Darla's parents? They're probably glad they don't have to worry about their spoiled brat of a daughter anymore... Frankly, if I had a child like that, I don't think I could stand it!"

Cherry was too busy cringing in her new outfit to pay attention to the conversation.

"So, you don't know where her parents are or even know if they're still alive or *gulps* dead?" Atticus asked.

"Never knew and probably never will find out, maybe she killed them." Tillie shrugged, laughing a little, trying not to think too much about Darla right now.

"Come on, we gotta get in the ark." Danny came to the two in his costume.

* * *

><p>They all got inside the ark, after getting in their costumes. They all waited inside the ark to show L.B. Mammoth their stuff, unaware that he had a press conference today and was going to show the press the newest Darla Dimple movie. The animals were also unaware that Darla and Max were planning to flood the stage and get the animals thrown out of Hollywood forever and she would still be the lovable child actress everyone believed she was, when obviously she wasn't.<p>

'_This is going to end badly, I just know it._' Atticus thought.

Danny and Sawyer held each other as Tillie accidentally rolled into them, crushing them.

"Whoa, okay now!" Cherry tried to keep her balance.

* * *

><p>The ark was splashing out of Stage 13 and was taking L.B. Mammoth and Flanigan the director with them. Tillie was star struck that she started to sing and had Frances and TW in her hands. Sawyer was arguing with Danny about who should be driving after Sawyer retorted that it stunk. They even crashed into a costume department, Sawyer and Danny were Egyptian, Tillie was a Renaissance woman, Flanigan was a jungle man, and LB Mammoth was just in his underwear now with a water buffalo hat.<p>

"This is a disaster, how could it get any worse?!" Atticus exclaimed.

Soon enough the ark stopped and everyone was starting to sink.

LB glared at Danny and Sawyer. "You animals will _never_-"

"Nibble kibble in this town again!" Flanigan finished for him as they were both underwater now.

Cherry helped Atticus out of the water, she was able to breathe underwater now after she had met Ariel and King Triton. And where she got Atticus back up to the surface.

"You okay?" Cherry knelt over him as the water dripped from her dark hair.

Atticus coughed out water. "Y-Yeah.." he said.

Cherry half-way smiled.

* * *

><p>After the flood cleared out, all of the animals were thrown out of Hollywood's gates.<p>

"But it wasn't!" Danny called out, then grew low and sad to see his new friends. "It wasn't their fault..."

As they all sulked, a limo pulled up and window lowered to reveal Darla grinned sadistically. "Nice working with you, Danny, Cherry, and Atticus!" she smirked, then fell back, laughing. "Singing and dancing animals!"

Max took out a very soaked Pudge and dropped him on the road as the limo drove off.

'I would love to teach that girl a lesson.' Atticus thought.

Sawyer looked over. "_She _was your little angel?"

"S-She said she wanted to help us..." Danny explained.

"And you believed her?" Tillie asked.

Danny felt very lost now as the other animals decided to leave.

"There's no room in the spotlight for folks like you and me..." Woolie said before leaving. "Go home, son..."

'_This can't be how it ends._' Atticus thought.

"Oh, my..." Cherry moaned as everyone was leaving. "What're we gonna do now?"

Danny had already left to go back to his hotel room.

"Right now, I don't know." Atticus said.

* * *

><p>Frances, TW, Tillie, Cranston, Sawyer, and a few of the other animals decided to go to Pinky's Diner. For once in his life, Atticus didn't know what for him and Cherry to do next. Danny was thought on leaving town. Cherry went to the diner to get a roast beef sandwich for a late meal.<p>

Sawyer was slowly stirring her tea as she was given her cup. Cranston felt like he had no choice but to leave show business and go to the farm like a real goat. Tillie tried to convince everyone to try Broadway, having heard hippos were very big in Broadway, to which Frances replied they were big everywhere. TW spoke up, which made everyone but Sawyer, Cherry, and Atticus start blaming Danny for all this mess.

And where Atticus didn't want to hear anymore from the other animals, so he just went outside. Sawyer felt the same way and left the diner, taking her umbrella as she seemed to be the most sad about Danny leaving. She hummed and sang a little song to herself about how she had loved Danny, but he was going to be gone. He believed in her the most and she just turned him away like an old overcoat.

Unknown to her, Atticus, Cherry, and Tillie were listening while she was singing. Sawyer cheered herself up a little bit as she walked along as the rain ceased and her fur became a little curly. Tillie sighed and leaned against the restaurant, making it back up and the customers inside scream.

"Guys!" Sawyer gasped as she looked to see the three of them.

Tillie blinked and pulled the diner back.

"You were amazing." Atticus said.

"Oh, come on, not really..." Sawyer said to the kids.

"Um, I know it's none of my business, but you can still catch Danny at the bus stop..." Tillie said with a nervous smile, then dashed off.

"The bus stop?" Cherry wondered.

"Oh, no, he must be getting on a bus back to his hometown." Atticus said.

"We better get him." Sawyer said quickly, voicing general concern for Danny.

"Come on!" Cherry called.

* * *

><p>The three of them tried to get to the next bus which was going to Kokomo before Danny would be gone forever. All three of them ran as fast as they could. It was too late, Danny had already left off the bus. Sawyer felt so heartbroken, she looked down to see Danny left his straw hat and saw his Hollywood checklist. Her eyes filled with tears as she pouted and looked back at the leaving bus.<p>

"Oh, dear..." Cherry sounded grave in worry and sadness for the cat girl.

_'This can't be how it ends.'_ Atticus thought.

Sawyer hung her head and was sulking to get home now, very depressed and brokenhearted.

"I'm not giving up." Atticus said.

"Atticus, he's going home, what more can we do?" Cherry said to him.

"We can stop that bus." Atticus said.

"I don't know about that." Cherry shrugged.

Atticus was already on his way to stop the bus.


	6. Chapter 6

The bus had already stopped before Atticus could do anything.

Danny was coming out from the doors and ran into the human boy. "Atticus, what're you doing out here?"

"Stopping you from leaving." Atticus said.

"I just got an idea, but I'll need your and Cherry's help, you two believed in me, also Pudge." Danny then said.

You got it." Atticus said.

Cherry had caught up. "What's going on?"

"Hang on, first let's get Pudge." Danny said to them.

* * *

><p>The three of them went by the L'il Ark Angel billboard as Pudge had packed an ice cube in a hobo sack and seemed to had been walking off, looking lost and hopeless.<p>

"Hey, Pudge." Atticus said.

"Hey, guys..." Pudge said lowly.

"You're not gonna quit, are you?" Danny asked.

"What other choice do I have?" Pudge asked. "All animals have been thrown out of Hollywood cuz of that Dimple kid."

"Darla made that mess?" Cherry asked.

"Yeah, she and that big guy Max flooded the stage!" Pudge explained.

"We can use this information somewhere in the plan." Atticus said.

"We have to make sure the gang's all together, but we have to get to the publicity department." Danny suggested.

"Come on, but we'll have to be quiet, hopefully no one will notice any difference when the invitations are sent to the movie's premiere." Cherry added.

"Yeah." Atticus said.

* * *

><p>The four gathered together to get to the publicity department and kept quiet so that the guard that was asleep wouldn't hear them and arrest them. Once they got in, Danny got to the typewriter and included TW's, Sawyer's, Frances', Woolie's, and Cranston's names to the invitation list. Cherry and Pudge stood by the door in case anyone would happen to walk by. The invitation's were sent out.<p>

In the morning of the day of the big movie premiere for Li'l Ark Angel, everyone was getting ready. Darla as usual was being spoiled by everyone who worked for her and pampered her to look her best. Everyone else in Hollywood was getting their best clothes ready and a lot of fans in the audience had their autograph books and cameras ready to see the stars shining in the night.

Darla was wondering where Atticus and Cherry were since they were her assistants. She then decided that she didn't care and just finished getting herself ready for the big show tonight. Won't be long now as she would remain the biggest star and those animals would have crushed dreams. Unknown to her, Atticus and Cherry were with Danny and Pudge.

* * *

><p>Finally, Darla was ready to go as she wore a nice fur coat over a red dress with pink puffed sleeves with a matching skirt and tiny heart in the center with an adorable red bow on her little curly head. She was waiting impatiently for the older stars to have their shots in the spotlight before LB Mammoth, finally she could be seen. There came a little boy in the crowd who wanted Darla's autograph and rushed to her to get it after she had signed her name and put her tiny hand and foot prints into the wet cement like the older celebrities.<p>

Her time had come. While this was going on, Atticus and the others were getting ready. Cherry was wearing a bright green dress which seemed to compliment her skin tone and she had a big black rose-like flower in her hair as she was backstage with the others while the movie would start and the others would get in with Darla, LB Mammoth, Flanigan and Max in the balcony with a bunch of treats and stuffed animals for the little brat herself. Danny wore a green suit with a bow tie, Pudge wore an orange vest with a red bow tie and Atticus wore a dark blue suit.

And where they were getting ready for the rest of their plan. The movie was getting to its very cute and cuddly part where Darla promises to help and protect every 'eensy-weensy' one of the animals and cuddles with them, making the audience gush. Cherry hid a chuckle as she could've sworn she heard Cranston mutter; "Shoot me." Danny was moving the piano with the candlelight, getting Pudge's saxophone, and a drum set ready, but they had accidentally let the cymbal go flying, but they caught it in time before hitting the floor.

* * *

><p>Pudge looked in the cymbal and rearranged and snapped his bow tie, no one could've heard that, right? But Max did. Max vanished behind the balcony's curtain and made his way backstage. The ones backstage were almost all set, they just had to wait for the movie to end.<p>

"It's almost time, I'll go hit the lights." Danny told his friends.

"Check!" Pudge nodded.

"Nothing could possibly go wrong now." Atticus said.

Max was now right behind them and staring them down. Pudge was being lifted up and was rubbed against Max's bald head and placed on the ceiling, sticking due to static electricity.

"Danny, watch out!" Cherry whispered loudly.

Danny slowly turned around and saw Max, making him panic and fear for his life.

"Run for your life!" Atticus whispered loudly.

Danny tried to hold off Max with the candlelight on the piano for Woolie. Max snorted over the candle, making Danny fly back against the wall, but he went up the rope to the roof door to escape from Darla's master servant. Max growled at the kids, he would deal with them later and he was going to get Danny.

"Hold on, Pudge!" Cherry whispered loudly up to the penguin in distress.

Danny and Max were going to fight on the roof while Cherry and Atticus would get Pudge down.

Cherry found a ladder and stood by, not climbing up it. "What're you waiting for?" she asked Atticus.

"I'm coming." Atticus said.

Cherry watched him go and held the ladder.

"Thanks, guys..." Pudge said to them as the boy helped him down.

"No problem, buddy." Atticus said.

"I think the movie's getting close to ending." Cherry looked over her shoulder.

"Yeah." Atticus said.

"Where's Danny?" Pudge asked.

"Up on the roof," Cherry's eyes widened. "He had a run-in with Max."

* * *

><p>They then went up to the roof.<p>

"Danny, the movie's over, everybody's leaving!" Pudge called as Danny seemed a little beat up as he watched the Darla balloon fly away. "Whoa... You're a mess..."

Danny looked back to them.

"Come on, we're wasting time!" Cherry sounded impatient.

"Yeah." Atticus said.


	7. Chapter 7

"Do you really like me?" Darla was heard as the crowd applauded after the movie ended.

"Wait!" Danny came out with his new friends as the people were on their way out, but the cat had got their attention. "Please, everyone t-t-take your seats! Today, we've come to honor Miss Darla Dimple, and since Darla Dimple cares, she's planned a special treat for you! A whole new live show!"

The crowd went wild then.

"With an all _animal _cast!" Cherry put in, which made the clapping stop just then.

"Unheard of, yes, but not for America's Sweetheart Lover of Children and Animals!" Danny added.

Darla growled, grabbing a teddy bear, but then hugged it as the spotlight was on her, but the head popped off. She then hid it behind her back, looking around nervously. "M-M-Max...?"

This was going according to plan. Mammoth looked at Darla like she had some explaining to do.

"And we wouldn't dream of preforming without our fr-" Danny smiled, then the spotlight showed the respective animals weren't in their seats. "I-I-I..."

"Silly cat," Darla smirked. "Run along now, skit skat, Mr. Kitty Cat and your friends... Isn't he cute? Run along and play, Mr. Kitty!" She taunted as the audience laughed at their downfall.

Danny grew nervous and wasn't sure what to do now. He then looked behind him to see Sawyer's paw was in his and that she had brought the friends with her in Tillie's hold. Cherry and Atticus went backstage then to talk Cranston, TW, Woolie, and Frances into doing this tonight. It was now or never.

"Come on, you guys, perform tonight, please?" Atticus asked.

When the group seemed really hesitant, Danny got them to stop.

"If you're willing to accept what they think of you, then you can just go!" Danny yelled to them, then calmed himself down. "I almost did..."

"Well, you should've!" Cranston argued. "Working for animals is the pits, working the scapegoat!"

"Quickly forgotten." Woolie added.

"Working for scale." Frances finished.

Atticus, Cherry, Pudge, and Danny weren't going give up that easily.

"Then why are you still here?" Atticus asked them.

"Because you can't forget that feeling, can you?" Danny added to the question as he came to his friends. "When you two dance," he looked to Frances and Cranston, then looked to Woolie. "When you play," he looked back to Sawyer. "When you sing..." He looked down to the turtle. "They haven't let you done, have they?"

TW took out his numerous fortune cookies he collected, then took a really helpful one out. "'They can smash your cookie, but you'll always have your fortune'."

Everyone felt good then.

"Come on, guys, show them what you can do." Cherry gave a thumbs up to her new friends.

"Yeah." Atticus said.

"Oh, boy, oh, boy, oh, boy!" Tillie giggled as she did a little dance in excitement.

* * *

><p>"Well..." Darla yawned as she waited with the audience. "It's kinda getting kinda more or less rather <em>late<em>!"

"You couldn't be more right, hit it, Pudge!" Danny came from behind the curtain.

Pudge played his saxophone as an intro to the incoming song for the animals to preform to the crowd and wow them.

"Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen, if you could be so kind, someone very special here, is about to speak her mind." Danny said to the crowd.

Sawyer ripped off her hat and made herself look more stylish in her movie premiere dress and started to sing.

* * *

><p>Darla looked around and decided to try to ruin the show, this was her night after all. But Atticus and Cherry were back there and acted as if they were going to help her ruin the animals' performance.<p>

Darla smirked. "Nice to see you two come to your senses..." she then tip-toed to the curtain to drop it, but it actually showed more on the front stage and the audience oohed at it. The little girl growled and went back as she saw that failed.

"Darla, why don't you turn the lights out on them?" Cherry suggested.

"Great idea." Darla grinned, slamming the lights off.

The lights did indeed go off, but bright lights came on, making Danny and Sawyer as silhouettes, but the audience loved that too.

"Oops, I guess that didn't help." Atticus said.

Darla used the ladder that was used to help Pudge get down, but the girl climbed up it with a bunch of bulbs in a box as she looked down to see Danny and Sawyer. She was going to knock them on the head, but when she threw the bulbs down, it just made the stage look prettier.

"Sweet, sweet karma..." Cherry smirked.

"Yep." Atticus said.

Darla even tried to use some steam on the animals, but the machine bolted open, sending her flying across stage and smacking herself against the wall. Why wasn't this working? She had help and assistance too. This scene was making Atticus and Cherry laugh at what was happening to Darla.

Darla tried to hook up TW as he was given a solo in the song, but nothing would work. She even tried to sabotage the light show with a wrench, but she got herself electrocuted. Darla was beating herself in the head as her plans were failing and saw the Granddaddy of All Switches. Her eyes flamed as she climbed up to pull that switch and finally win. She laughed insanely, if this didn't work, nothing would.

"Whoa..." Cherry looked out and saw what was happening, this was like the best movie premiere after show in years.

"And for the grand finale." Atticus said.

Darla stumbled backwards and made herself fall as the song was ending. Cherry and Atticus came as Sawyer ended the song and the crowd was blown away. One guy's teeth fell out, but the crowd loved it. LB Mammoth and Flanigan also approved and Hollywood decided to give animals a chance to be in the movies with that kind of talent. Atticus and Cherry came out. It was a great show, until...

Darla came up, mangled up a bit as she crawled over toward Danny and slapped Pudge. "_I'm _the star... you stupid, stupid CAT!" she grabbed Danny's collar, unaware of the microphone above her head. "I should've drowned you all and killed Cherry and Atticus **WHEN I FLOODED THE STAGE!**"

Her last sentence echoed, thanks to the mic. Darla grew nervous then and tried to be all innocent again for the crowd. Pudge chuckled, then threw the trap door lever.

Darla was pulled down. "MAAAAAAAAAAAAAX!" After that, Darla Dimple, America's Sweetheart Lover of Children and Animals was no more.

* * *

><p>Frances gave a kiss to Cranston, Woolie and Tillie hugged, Pudge and TW shook hands, electrocuting the turtle.<p>

"Let's see... '_Go to premiere_'," Sawyer took Danny's list. "Check... '_Land a Big Part_', check. '_Get the girl_'?" she smiled at the orange cat. "Check."

Atticus and Cherry then helped with that last one by pushing the two cats closer together. Danny and Sawyer were about to kiss, but then Flanigan accidentally came in the middle of them.

"Get a picture, boys," Mammoth said as the camera crew from the press were going to put this in the newspaper. "These kids are gonna be making history!"

Danny and the others went with LB Mammoth and Flanigan to start their new lives.


	8. Chapter 8

Cherry and Atticus were on their way, as the theater cleared out, but there was Darla, now in a blue jumpsuit and a pink bandanna as she had been reduced to as a janitor and was forced to clean up the mess she made.

"Should we help her?" Cherry asked Atticus as they were the only ones left.

"Might as well." Atticus said.

Darla was mopping around and glared up at her two 'assistants'. "What do you two want?"

"We're gonna help you clean up." Cherry offered.

Darla scoffed. "Yeah, right, like you'd really help me after what I'd done."

But she was surprised to see that they were helping her clean.

"So, Darla, what do you think you're gonna do now since you're not a celebrity anymore?" Cherry asked.

"I don't know what else to do..." Darla put the mop up as she looked at the stage. "I could go home, but Max won't be there and they're probably gonna auction it off..."

"We could help you out with that too, wait, what about your parents?" Atticus asked. "Can't they help you?"

Darla looked to him, then looked down drearily. "I-I don't have parents... Not anymore..."

"What happened to them?" Atticus asked.

Darla held herself as she walked to the distance, looking up to the sky as if it provided an answer. "They died in a car accident with my big sister... I was only four-years-old and with a nanny... I didn't have any other living relatives, so I was sent to an orphanage, but that's where I also got my start..."

"You first movie was about an orphan girl who becomes a celebrity when a movie producer adopts her." Cherry remembered.

"Yes, that one is true," Darla sighed. "LB Mammoth came to the orphanage to look for a new kid to represent since he thought children were just adorable and would see a lot of his movies with a child, so there was a talent show, the winner would be adopted by him, this bully girl was going to outshine me, but I was better than her, so I got to win."

"What happened to the bully girl?" Atticus asked.

"I don't know," Darla shrugged. "I was just told to go pack up my bags in my room and I went with Mr. Mammoth in his limo and drove off to my new home of Hollywood. But now... I'm not famous anymore and he won't represent me because of you and your dumb animal friends!"

"We didn't intend on making you a street urchin, Darla..." Cherry tried to soothe.

"Well, you did, and now I have nowhere to go!" Darla huffed. "I'm _not _going back to that orphanage! Neither of you can't know what it's like to have a family and then have them be taken from you, then finally get a home where no one takes care of you except someone like Max, then have yourself be taken away from the only happy place you'll ever have!"

"Darla, would like to come back home with us?" Atticus asked.

"What?!" Darla gaped at him. "Where would I stay!?"

"Yes, Atticus, where would she stay?" Cherry asked, a little on the edge, it was a nice thought, but could they handle it?

"With me and my family." Atticus said.

"Oh, I don't know..." Darla rubbed her arm.

"Come on, it's about time we got home anyway," Cherry said. "I'm sure Mrs. Fudo and Atticus's sister maybe have some new clothes for you."

"Can we at least see the mansion before anything happens to it?" Darla wondered, she had some hidden stuff there after all.

"Sure." Atticus said.

* * *

><p>The three of them went to the glittering mansion.<p>

Darla opened the basement door and went down the stairs. "Help move this thing."

Cherry and Atticus went with Darla and pushed out the chest that was inside the house, if anyone destroyed the house, they shouldn't this too.

"Hey, it looks like it'd been opened," Darla put her hands on her hips, looking a little cross.

"That's a little bit of our fault." Atticus said sheepishly.

"Sorry, but you _did _lock us down here, we couldn't help but notice..." Cherry admitted.

Darla sighed. "It's fine... Well, goodbye, house... You were the perfect place for me to roam in when not posing for the newspaper, starring in a short film, or winning a youth award just for being me..." She looked back to her mansion in all its pinkness in glory. "I just hope whoever owns this place now will take good care of it..."

"Well, let's get going." Atticus said.

* * *

><p>Cherry and Atticus got their stuff and got on the bus to take them home. Darla was joining them and was trying to ignore the bus driver's remarks about her now and she shoved up the trunk under the long seat in between her new friends, if they wanted to be her friends.<p>

"I'm really sorry about this, Darla..." Cherry tried to console. "You must be emotionally crippled."

"You know, I never realized how lonely I was until everyone started to hate me for being a bratty kid..." Darla sighed in depression.

"Well, you won't be alone with where we're going." Atticus said.

"Thanks, guys..." Darla sounded confident now. "I never had a real friend before..."

"Well, we're your family now and you'll be Atticus's new sister, I don't know them very well, but I'm sure Atticus's parents will like you, even his sister." Cherry encouraged.

"Yeah, they're very nice and my sis is a fantastic singer." Atticus said.

Darla smiled, then her eyes felt heavy, she started to lean over Cherry and fell asleep on the way back to their homes. Cherry let her arm out and she put it around the little girl.

* * *

><p>Three hours passed until they arrived at their home town. Cherry decided to let Atticus and Darla get to his place alone for more time for them to get to know each other better while she went to her house to see her parents after a long week away from the house.<p>

Darla held Atticus's hand as they were going to his house, wheeling the trunk behind them. "Atticus, what if your family doesn't like me?"

"They'll love you, of course, I'll explain everything to them so then they will understand." Atticus said.

Darla heaved a struggled sigh. "Okay... Looks like this is it..." she bit her lip with her gapped teeth as she and Atticus got to the front door.

They both then entered inside.

Darla walked in, looking around. "It's so ordinary looking..." she muttered, not aware that not everyone could afford big luxuries like she could.

They both then took off their shoes.

"They must be in the living room." Atticus said.

Darla shrugged and followed him to see a couple of adults with an older girl indeed in there. She quickly hid behind Atticus as they started to notice he was back from Hollywood and wanted to know how the trip was.

"Well, it was exciting and I brought home someone that I think should be a part of our family," Atticus said, before looking behind him. "Come on out and meet your new family, Darla."

Darla poked her head out and came out to see the Fudo family face-to-face. She had a small smile and had her arms behind her back, still nervous about what Atticus's family would think of her.

"She really needs a loving family." Atticus said.

Mrs. Fudo came over to get a closer look. "Why, it's that adorable little girl on TV! What on Earth are you doing here?"

"Atticus said I could come and stay..." Darla rubbed her arm, staring at the floor. "I got into trouble back home..."

"What happened?" Mr. Fudo asked, sounding a little strict, but not meaning to scare the girl.

Darla saw she had no choice and it would be painful if Atticus explained for her, so she told the new family what had happened and what she had been reduced to.

"Wow, bummer..." Atticus's sister remarked.

"So, can she be a member of our family?" Atticus asked them.

"Well, if she can promise to be good now." Mr. Fudo made a compromise.

"Oh, yes, I learned my lesson, please!" Darla was on her knees with her hands together. "I don't have anywhere else to go! Please let me stay with you all!"

The older girl shrugged. "It's fine with me, I always wanted a sister... Welcome to the family, I'd say, my name is Jessica."

Darla smiled. "Okay, Jessica..."

"I'm Emily Fudo and this is my husband, Patrick, you can call us Mom and Dad if you want, but you will not be bossing us around or throwing an angry temper tantrum to get your way, okay, Darla?" Mrs. Fudo added.

"I understand... I promise to be a good girl from now on." Darla agreed.

* * *

><p>They then had went to the orphanage and signed the adoption forms making it official. Darla had some shines of her old bratty self, but she quickly got over it and realized that she had only missed something that made her apart of who she is, she had missed her family. Not only did she get new parents and a new older sister, but she had a brother now.<p>

Darla was given new clothes by Emily and Jessica as promised and soon enough, she would be able to be enrolled into an elementary school and maybe even make some friends. She was nervous though on her first day when Emily dropped her off, but when she came back to see Atticus and Jessica again, she told them about this new friend she made on her first day of second grade named Sophia. And where they were proud of her. Darla found out what the common saying money can't buy happiness truly meant and she was very proud of herself for having Atticus help her and she never missed being a spoiled brat with treasures from the public as she had her own family to love her unconditionally and was never a spoiled princess ever again.

The End


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